May Newsletter | “Log of the Trail”

Meeting Announcement: Our May “End of Year Party” will be held on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, at the home of Jackie Siglin, south of Alpine. (See more information below.)

Writing Assignment: In 500 words or less (prose or poetry), here are three topics to consider for your opportunity to write for the May 22 [...]

March Newsletter | “Log of the Trail”

Meeting Announcement: Our March meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 20, 2012, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Fort Davis Public Library in Fort Davis, TX. If you wish to carpool from Alpine, meet us in the Big Bend Telephone parking lot before we depart at 6:30 pm.

Program: “The Art of Weaving Your Story”

Writing “Opportunity”: 

  • Spring Equinox
  • March Magic
  • Search The Wind

Please avail yourself of the opportunity to pick one of the above topics and write our regular limit of 500 words (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or whatever).  Or challenge yourself to an exact word limit of 100 for any one of the topics (this idea is compliments of Anne VanLoon–thanks, Anne).


President Ramblings

I’m sitting in Fairbanks, AK looking out the window at a foot of fresh snow.  The temperature is close to zero and it is so delightful.  I’m happy to be back to my home of eighteen years and glad to see good friends.  I thought I would write – brought my journal and my laptop, but so far haven’t squeezed in time for much but a few ideas percolating in the back of my brain.  At least I will try to write those down – otherwise in my aged state, they will enter an unknown universe never to be thought of again.

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February Newsletter | “Log of the Trail”

Meeting Announcement: Our February meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 21, 2012, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of the Hallmark Apartments in Alpine.

Program: Diane Brown will talk about her book, “Life Instead,” and how it came to be.  I can guarantee it will be a fascinating presentation.  Diane survived a plane crash and bravely wrote about her experience then went on an unexpected adventure to publication and beyond.

Writing “Opportunity”: 

  • A Snowy Night
  • Valentines
  • A Matter of the Heart

Choose one or incorporate one or more of the topics into one story (or poem)–use your vast and endless imagination.  Limit is 500 words.  Go wild!  At the meeting, you may read your work or not, as you prefer.  Just enjoy doing it.


President Ramblings

How do you write?  Do you set measurable goals or decide to wing it?  Do you slave over each word or let it flow as it comes?  Do you have a different writing style for different types of writing?

I recently read and enjoyed, The Sea, by John Banville.  It is a literary work, full of gorgeous words, which won the Mann Booker prize in 2005.  Mr. Banville, under the pseudonym of Benjamin Black, is also the writer of mystery novels.  Here is what he says about his writing:

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2012 “Chaos” Call for Submissions

This is a call for submissions for the 2012 Chaos West of the Pecos, the yearly publication of the Texas Mountain Trail Writers.

For complete information, please see our “2012 ‘Chaos’ Call for Submissions” page.

January Newsletter | “Log of the Trail”

Meeting Announcement: Our January meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Fort Davis Public Library in Fort Davis, TX. If you wish to carpool from Alpine, meet us in the Big Bend Telephone parking lot before we depart at 6:30 pm.

Program: Critique – Polish Your Writing to a Shine presented by Jackie Siglin.

Writing “Opportunity”: 

  • New Year Resolutions
  • Something Remembered
  • West Texas Intrigue

Choose one or incorporate one or more of the topics into one story (or poem)–use your vast and endless imagination.  Limit is 500 words.  Go wild!  At the meeting, you may read your work or not, as you prefer.  Just enjoy doing it.


President Ramblings

Happy New Year!

We can’t start off a new writing year without a few resolutions – right?  or should I say – WRITE!!!

That is the gist of every article I read and every speaker I hear.  If you want to be a writer, improve your writing, experience writing, you need to WRITE.

So what could we resolve:

  1. To set aside writing time.  Some people start small – 5 minutes, 30 minutes, once or twice a week.  For me, a retired person, I try to write, or at least be present in my chair in front of the computer, five days a week for two to three hours.  Does that mean I always succeed?  No, but I have, like we say in my yoga class, an intention. Continue reading January Newsletter | “Log of the Trail” →

June Newsletter | “Log of the Trail”

Meeting Announcement: Our June “End of Year Party” will be held on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at the home of Jackie Siglin, south of Alpine. (See more information below.)

Writing Assignment: Something you have written that you would like to read to us. 250-500 word limit. Something you have written that you would like to read to us.

Refreshments: It’s a Pot Luck!


TMTW “End of Year Party

Has it been hot enough for you?  Do you feel the edges of your brain begin to curdle as soon as you leave the circle of the fan zone?  Then having a gathering with your fellow TMTW friends might be just the thing to perk you up.

We are having our end of the year party on June 21 at my house.  It will start at 6:30 and go until we are ready to leave.  It is a potluck and if people will let me know what they plan to bring, I can coordinate it a bit.  (I still remember the year with 5 potato salads – all delicious, but hey ??)

To RSVP and for directions, please email gro.s1337470649retir1337470649wliar1337470649tniat1337470649nuoms1337470649axet@1337470649wtmtk1337470649sa1337470649 and let us know what you are bringing!

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TMTW May Update

Hi everyone!

Just a quick update to let you know there will be NO meeting in May.

Instead, we will have our End of Year Party on Tuesday, June 21 at the home of Jackie Siglin.

Look for more information and our June newsletter in early June!

Kip Piper TMTW Newsletter Editor

March Newsletter :: “Log of the Trail”

Meeting Announcement: Our March meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at the Fort Davis Public Library in Fort Davis, TX, from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. If you wish to carpool from Alpine, meet us in the Big Bend Telephone parking lot before we depart at 6:30 pm.

Speaker: Barbara Blake – “The Character Arc: A Journey of Change”
Refreshments: (You know who you are, we hope!)
Writing Assignment: Something Irish (500 words or less)

From the desk of our president:

March winds and April showers? Don’t we wish? Wild fires? Brave pilots and big yellow helicopters that drop retardants on them? Skunks and their early morning perfume? A morning with one percent humidity? Vertigo and my sympathy to fellow sufferers?

Take your pick or think of a better one. Perhaps you can turn it into a poem or story.

Happy days, restful nights and productive writing to each of you.

Phyllis Musgrove


Barbara Blake’s Presentation at the March TMTW Meeting

Author Barbara Blake will present a short program entitled “The Character Arc: A Journey of Change” at the March 15 meeting of the Texas Mountain Trail Writers.  Barbara is the author of the book A Guide to Children’s Books about Asian Americans (England: Ashgate Publishing Co.,

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February Newsletter | “Log of the Trail”

Meeting Announcement: Our February meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 15, 2011, in the Fiesta Room of the Hallmark Apartments in Alpine.

Writing Assignment: Love Lost, Then Found Again, 250-500 word limit.

Speaker: Phyllis Musgrove will speak about “Who Says Writers Heads are Blocked?”

Refreshments: Petei Guth will provide refreshments for the February meeting.


From the Desk of our President

Our new year got off to a great start, and we welcomed several newcomers and visitors to our January meeting in Fort Davis. We enjoyed an outstanding program from Jackie Siglin.

Despite February’s roaring in like a lion, our spring retreat planning committee finalized plans for what I think will be an outstanding 20th anniversary conference. I hope many of you can attend.

Phyllis Musgrove

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January Newsletter :: “Log of the Trail”

Meeting Announcement: Our January meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, at the Fort Davis Public Library in Fort Davis, TX, from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. If you wish to carpool from Alpine, meet us in the Big Bend Telephone parking lot before we depart at 6:30 pm.

Speaker: Jackie Siglin – Can You Write It Better?

Jackie’s Presentation at the January TMTW Meeting

Jackie Siglin will present a program, Can You Write It Better?, at the TMTW meeting on January 18, 7 pm at the Fort Davis Public Library.  The presentation will be on how to self-edit your writing, make it tighter and clearer.  The information will be based on what she learned this summer in a Writers’ League of Texas session presented by author, Carol Dawson.


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